Various systems and methods have been developed to provide video on demand (VOD) services to allow users to select and watch information content (e.g., audio, video and audio-video) content over a network. Some VOD systems stream content, which allows viewing while the video is being downloaded. Other types of systems enable content to be downloaded and stored, such that the program is brought in its entirety to a set-top box prior to viewing. In the example of streaming media, the multimedia content can be sent to a user by a variety of content delivery methods, such as unicasting or multicasting. Unicast is the sending of information packets to a single destination. In contrast, multicast relates to the delivery of information to a group of destinations simultaneously. When content is multicast, it is possible that copies of the content can be made such as when links to one or more of the destinations split.
Many existing VOD system architectures are inflexible and, as such, are unable to adapt adequately to the changing business needs of the services provider. Consequently, many system designs require extensive capital expenditures on the infrastructure to accommodate peak service demands. Accordingly, improvements in functionally for these and similar systems are desired.